Automatic setting for photocomposing machine

ABSTRACT

A photocomposing machine of the type where an annular set of character transparencies mounted on a disc form carrier is utilized in conjunction with a sensitized strip and a light to expose the strip with the desired characters. The machine is provided with an arrangement wherein the disc has reference surfaces to set the aperture size for the lighthouse as well as a full font or half font mode of filmstrip advancement.

[ Feb. 22, 1972 United States Patent Hecker et al.

References Cited [54] AUTOMATIC SETTING FOR PI-IOTOCOMPOSING MACHINE UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,883,918 4/1959 Mosteller.................................

[72] Inventors: Roland F. llecker, Berkeley Heights, N..l.;

Mahmut I. Goench, Queens Village, NY. [73] Assignee: Vari-Typer Corporation, Hanover, NJ.

Primary Examiner-John M. l-loran Attorney-Russell L. Root and Ray S. Pyle Aug. 13, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 63,539

ABSTRACT A photocomposing machine of the [22] Filed:

ts-- wramw who in acmd m w m E 6 p h m wa m n W0 m Wd of character transparencies mounte utilized in conjunction with a sensitized stri pose the strip with the desired characters. The machine is vided with an arrangement wherein the disc has reference faces to set the aperture size for the lighthouse as well as a full font or half font mode of filmstrip adv 14 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to photocomposing machines and more particularly to automatic setting of certain variables on such machines.

The use of photocomposing machines for generating and developing images on strips of photosensitive material from a master film set on a carrier disc, or the like, are well known in the art. For example, photocomposing machines are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,742,830 and 3,440,946. In this latter patent, a photocomposing machine is provided which utilizes a disc carrier which is rotatably mounted on the machine. The disc has various characters, normally type fonts, formed thereon of a transparent nature with opaque surrounding which will allow light to pass through the transparent figures and expose a strip of film carried by the machine. After each exposure, the disc is rotated to the new character to be printed and also the strip of photosensitive material is advanced an incremental distance.

With this type of machine, various discs of different type forms and characters can be utilized on a single machine to give different desired character effects. However, with different size and styles of type fonts and characters, a difierent spacing between each of the characters on the disc is present. This difference in spacing requires different adjustments in the machine to properly expose and develop the characters on the sensitized strip of material.

One of the settings of the machine which is required is the width of the band of light which falls upon the disc. This light should be of sufficient width to encompass fully the character at the exposure station, but not so wide as to encompass any portions of adjacent characters. This adjustment of the width of the light band has been done conventionally as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,440,936 by manually setting a shutter to define the width of the opening in the lighthouse, thewidth of the light striking the disc and hence the width of the exposure of the sensitized material is controlled. Since this setting has normallybeen done manually, each disc carries the proper instructions for the setting of the opening for the characters carried on that disc. This requires a specific operation on the part of the operator which must be done for each different disc utilized in the machine. This need for manual setting each time provides a possibility of error in that the operator may neglect or forget to set the opening when a new disc is inserted, or the operator may setit improperly due to improper reading of the instructions, or improper positioning of the setting device.

Also, when the width of the exposure is increased beyond a certain amount, it becomes necessary to increase the incremental advancement of the film so as to prevent double exposure of the film. In the past, this has been characterized by what is known as a single font or double font mode of operation, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,440,936. Basically, this means that as the size of the characters on a disc pass a certain size it is no longer possible to get a full font of type on the disc; i.e., it is not possible to get both the capital and small letters, common numbers and symbols conventionally used on a single disc. Thus, the designation full font or half font discs. With the discs having characters large enough so that only a half font of type can be carried, the opening for the light is of such a magnitude that it will expose more than a single incremental advancement of the film. Therefore, in this case a switch is moved to a half font configuration, which means that the film strip will advance a double increment rather than a single increment. The apparatus necessary for selecting such single or double increment is also shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,440,936. Here again, there is the undesirable feature of this mode of operation being a manually selectable operation which the operator must remember to perform or the sensitized strip will be improperly exposed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a photocomposing machine is provided for use in combination with master discs, or the like, wherein the photocomposing machine has an arrangement which will set the aperture opening of the lighthouse and also set the full font or half font mode of operation of the sensitized-strip advancement means functionally responsive to actuation means carried by the disc. Thus, the setting of the opening to the lighthouse and the mode for advancement of the strip are controlled by the insertion of the master disc and do not require operator setting.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the plane designated by the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the actuating lever depressed by an inserted disc;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of securing knobs for mounting the disc on the machine; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing a disc placed in the machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and for the present to FIG. I, a photocomposing machine is shown incorporating the setting mechanisms of the present invention. The photocomposing machine includes a frame member designated generally as 10 which mounts and secures the various components of the machine. The components of one such photocomposing machine are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,440,936 and as these components per se form no part of the present invention they will for the most past not be shown other than as related to the setting devices of the present invention. The photocomposing machine includes a turntable 12 carried by the frame 10 adapted to mount a disc 14 bearing at the outer part 15 thereof various character indicia thereon normally either a font or half font of type. The table 12 is rotatable with the disc thereon to move the desired character on the disc to an exposure station at which place light from a lamp 16 carried in a lighthouse 18 can be selectively transmitted through an opening or aperture 20 in the lighthouse. The lighthouse is mounted within a cover member 21 hingedly mounted on the frame member 10 by hinges, not shown, so that the cover can be raised to provide access to the turntable for inserting and removing discs. The disc 14 is so positioned that the character locations on the disc 14 are disposed below the aperture 20 so that the light from the lamp 16 will impinge upon the disc 14 and light will be transmitted through the disc wherever the disc is transparent and these transparent areas are in the form of the desired character.

Disposed below the disc is a strip of light-sensitive material, shown only in FIG. 2, and the light from the opening 20 passing through the transparent character areas on the disc will expose that portion of the strip below the disc in the form of a character. A filmstrip advancing knob 22 is provided which will move the film to the desired starting position.

During the printing of a strip, the strip is moved past the station in successive steps and at each step a character is exposed so that a line of characters can be formed. For this purpose a toggle switch 23 is provided so that upon the actuation thereof to one side, will cause the lamp to be energized a given length of time and will also move the filmstrip the desired amount. This constitutes a print cycle. Upon activation of the toggle switch to the opposite side, the filmstrip will advance without the light being energized, thus constituting a spacing cycle. All of the above is well known in the art and per se constitutes no part of the invention.

However, as explained above, it is sometimes necessary to move the film a single increment but at other times a double increment for each printing and spacing cycle, depending upon the size of the type. Also, the width of the band of light emanating from the opening 20 must be controlled. Control mechanisms to produce such movement and light setting is shown schematically in FIG. 2 and constitutes the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the opening 20 in the lighthouse 18 is controlled as to the size, i.e., width of opening thereof, by means of a shutter 24 movable with respect to the opening 20 to change the size thereof. The shutter is restrained from axial movement on a rod 27 by means of a pair of collars 29 secured to the rod 27 on opposite sides thereof. Thus, the shutter is free to pivot on the rod 27 when the cover 21 is opened and will move axially with the movement of the rod 27.

A pair of cam followers 30 are mounted on an extension arm 32 which is secured to one end of the rod 27. The. cam followers 30 cooperate with a cam 34 mounted on a shaft 36, which shaft is mounted for rotation on suitable earings not shown. The shaft 36 is provided with a gear 38 at one end thereof which meshes with quadrant gear segment 40. Segment 40 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 42. The quadrant gear segment 40 includes an actuating arm 44 extending therefrom and abutting the lower end of an actuating pin 46.

As can best be seen in FIG. 3, the actuating pin 46 is slidably disposed in a bushing 48 which is mounted for rotation in a bracket 50 secured to the frame. The bushing 48 is secured to the turntable 12 by welds shown at 51 and is rotatable therewith. The bushing 48 at the upper portion includes a pair of opposed axial extending slots 52 and disposed within the slots 52 is a stepped head portion 54 of the actuating pin 46. The head portion 54 is provided with a plurality of steps 56 which are adapted to coact with slots formed in the disc 14 as will be described presently.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the shaft 36 also has mounted thereon a second cam 58 which coacts with a cam feeler arm 60 of switch 62. The switch 62 in tum is connected to drive mechanism designated generally as 64. The drive mechanism 64 operates a sprocket 66 which advances a sensitized strip 68 past the lighthouse. The strip 68 is rolled and mounted in a casing 70. p c

The drive mechanism 64 is comprised of suitable gearing and shaftsto incrementally advance the strip 68. The gearing includes a mechanism to advance the strip either a single or double increment responsive to the position of the feeler arm 60 of the switch 62. Such a drive mechanism is conventional and does not per se form any part of the present invention. The drive mechanism 64 is operated by the toggle switch 23 through a connection not shown, so that each time the toggle switch is actuated it will advance the strip 68.

The quadrant gear 40 is nonnally biased upwardly by means of a biasing spring 72 so that the actuating pin 46 is pushed to its uppermost position. To define the uppermost position, a stop collar 73 (See FIG. 3) is provided around the actuating pin 46. This limits the upward travel of the actuating pin.

As can best be seen in FIG. 2, the disc 14 includes a central portion shown fragmentally at 88 which has a central aperture 90 intersected by a selector slot 92 extending on opposite sides thereof. The central portion 88 also includes a pair of locking slots 94 on opposite sides of the central aperture 90.

OPERATION In order to utilize the machine the disc 14 is slipped under the cover member 21 and positioned above the table 12 with the central aperture 90 and selector slot 92 aligned with the head portion 54 of the actuating pin 46 and the locking slots 94 aligned with the flat upper surfaces 82 of the engaging knobs 74. The disc 14 is then pushed downwardly toward the table 12. The downward motion of the disc will cause the sides of the locking slots 94 to coact against the angled side surfaces 84 and 86' of the engaging knobs 74, causing the knobs to rotate against the bias of the torsion springs 80, much in the manner of a screw action. This winding and'rotating action will continue until the top surface of the disc 14 has passed the bottom of the head portions 76, at which point the action of the torsion springs will cause the knobs to rotate back to the position shown in FIG. 5. This action is shown somewhat'diagrammatically in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6 the dotted outlines show the knobs 74 having been twisted so that the head portion 76 are in alignment and register with the locking slots 94 of the disc 14. Continued downward movement of disc 14 will allow head portions 76 to pass completely through the disc and allow the disc to rest on the table 12 with the upper surface thereof below the lower surface of the knobs at which point the spring action of the torsion springs 80 will return the knobs to the position shown in solid outline in FIG. 6. Thus, when returned to this position with the disc in place the knobs 74 prevent the disc from being unintentionally lifted off the table.

The insertion of the discl4 also provides a cooperation between the selector slot 92 in the disc 14 and the head portion 54 of the actuating pin 46. As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, the lower surface of the disc 14 adjacent the selector slot 92 forms an abutment surface which has engaged one of the steps 56 of the head portion 54. The length of the slot 92 on each side of the aperture 90 detennines which of the steps is engaged. When the engagement has taken place the action of the disc will cause the actuating pin 46 to move downwardly, the amount of downward movement being dependent on which of the steps has been engaged. The shorter the slot 92 the higher the step that is engaged and hence the greater the downward The turntable 12 is provided with a pair of disc-engaging knobs 74. The engaging knobs 74 are adapted to receive and secure in place a disc inserted onto the turntable 12. Each of the engaging knobs 74 includes a head portion 76 and a shaft portion 78 which shaft portion is pivotally mounted on the turntable. The shaft portion 78 is spring biased by a torsion spring 80 to rotate the knob to the position shown in FIG. 5. Each of the head portions 76 includes an upper transverse flat surface 82 and a pair of sloping angled opposite side surfaces 84 and 86. Also, the head portions 76 are spaced above the table 12 as can be seen in FIG. 3, and this distance is slightly more than the thickness of the disc 14, which is utilized in the machine.

movement of the pin 46. Conversely, the longer the slot 92 the lower the step that is engaged and hence less downward movement of the pin 46.

The downward movement of the actuating pin 46 will cause the quadrant gear segment 40 to pivot about the shaft 42 against the bias of spring 72. This pivoting motion of the quadrant gear segment 40 will rotate the shaft 36, which rotation in turn will rotate earns 58 and 34.

The normal operation of drive mechanism 64 will advance the sensitized strip one increment of space. In the case of a half font disc, slot 92 in the disc 14 is made to drive actuating pin 46 enough to rotate the high spot of cam 58 so as to actuate feeler arm 60 of switch 62. The switch 62 sets drive mechanism 64 in the two increment space mode.

Rotation of the cam 34 will move the shutter 24 to either open or restrict the opening 20 of the lighthouse l8 and thereby select the size of the opening through which the light from the lamp 16 will be directed against the F lmstrip.

As was explained above, the disc 14 is rotatable with the turntable so that the character section on the disc will interpose the characters between the opening 20 in the lighthouse l8 and the sensitized strip of film 68. When the toggle switch is actuated to the print side, the toggle switch will cause the lamp to light for a predetermined amount of time to cause the character image from the disc to be exposed onto the strip and also cause the film to advance a single or double increment, depending upon the position of the cam 58. This advancement can be arranged to take place either prior or subsequent to the exposure of the film. Actuation of the toggle switch 23 to the space side will advance the strip but will not energize the lamp.

Thus it can be seen that the opening 20 through which the light shines and the amount of advancement of the strip 68 is determined by the coaction of the selector slot in the disc with the actuating pin 46 and a mechanism which it controls so that operator setting is not required and operator error is thus eliminated. The length of the slot 92 determines both the opening size in the lighthouse and the single or half font configuration of film strip advancement.

When the required printing has been performed, the disc is removed by manually twisting the knobs 74 to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 6. This will align them with the slots 94 in the disc 14. The action of the spring 72 will then push the disc upward slightly. The knobs can then be released and the disc 14 grasped and removed from the table 12.

What is claimed is:

1. In the combination of an exposing device having means disposed for incrementally advancing and exposing a sensitized strip, and having a light source, and character-defining devices each having at least one character-defining image thereon, and wherein means are provided to removably mount said character-defining devices on said film-exposing device for positioning of said images at a given exposing position, and wherein opening control means are provided to vary the width of light directed on the character-defining device mounted in the machine, the improvement comprising;

cooperating means on said character-defining devices and said exposing device disposed to set said opening control means at a given preselected position for each characterdefining device mounted on said film-exposing device.

2. In the combination of an exposing device having means disposed for incrementally advancing and exposing a sensitized strip, and having a light source, and character-defining discs each having a plurality of character-defining images thereon, and wherein means are provided to removably mount said character-defining discs on said exposing device for selectively positioning said images at a given exposing position, and wherein opening control means are provided to vary the width of light directed on the character-defining disc mounted in the machine, the improvement comprising;

cooperating means on said character-defining discs and said exposing device disposed to set said opening control means at a given preselected position for the characterdefining disc mounted on said film-exposing device, said cooperating means including a mechanical linkage carried by said exposing device operably connected to said opening-control device, and including a movable member disposed to be contacted by said disc, said disc including surface means disposed to coact with said movable member to move said movable member a distance which is a function of the position of said surface means.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said surface means on character-defining discs are formed by surface areas surrounding slot means formed therein.

4. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said movable member is mounted for axially slidable movement.

5. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said movable member is mounted for axial slidable movement and has a stepped configuration which coacts with the surface means of said character-defining discs.

6. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by biasing means nonnally biasing said linkage to one extreme position thereof and yieldably responsive to the coaction of said surface means on said character-defining discs.

7. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by means disposed to releasably secure said character-defining discs in said exposing device.

8. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by means disposed to releasably secure said character-defining discs on said exposing device, and said mechanical linka e including biasing means normally biasing said movable member against said surface means of said character-defining discs whereby when said means releasably receiving said character-defining discs in said exposing device are released the character-defining discs will be urged from the exposing device.

9. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by means to releasably secure said character-defining discs in said exposing device including knob means on said exposing device disposed to extend through openings formed in the character-defining discs.

10. The invention as defined in claim 2 further charac' terized by means to releasably secure said character-defining discs in said exposing device including knobs pivotally mounted and spring biased to an extreme position and disposed to extend through openings formed in the characterdefining discs to thereby lock said character defining discs in place.

11. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by means to releasably secure said character-defining discs in said exposing device including knob means pivotally mounted and spring biased to an extreme position and having sloping side surfaces, said knob means being disposed to coact with slot means formed in said character-defining discs and configured to twist during insertion and return to a locking position at complete insertion of said discs.

12. The invention as defined in claim 1 further characterized by selector means carried by said film-exposing device cooperative with said character-defining devices and operatively connected to the means to advance said strip of film to define one of at least two preselected incremental amounts.

13. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by selector means responsive to said mechanical linkage and operably connected to said means to advance said strip to define one of at least two preselected incremental amounts of advancement of the film dependent upon the position of said linkage.

14. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by selector means including cam feeler means operable by a cam movable with said mechanical linkage and operably connected to said means to advance said strip to define one of at least two preselected incremental amounts of advancement of the film dependent upon the position of said linkage. 

1. In the combination of an exposing device having means disposed for incrementally advancing and exposing a sensitized strip, and having a light source, and character-defining devices each having at least one character-defining image thereon, and wherein means are provided to removably mount said characterdefining devices on said film-exposing device for positioning of said images at a given exposing position, and wherein opening control means are provided to vary the width of light directed on the character-defining device mounted in the machine, the improvement comprising; cooperating means on said character-defining devices and said exposing device disposed to set said opening control means at a given preselected position for each character-defining device mounted on said film-exposing device.
 2. In the combination of an exposing device having means disposed for incrementally advancing and exposing a sensitized strip, and having a light source, and character-defining discs each having a plurality of character-defining images thereon, and wherein means are provided to removably mount said character-defining discs on said exposing device for selectively positioning said images at a given exposing position, and wherein opening control means are provided to vary the width of light directed on the character-defining disc mounted in the machine, the improvement comprising; cooperating means on said character-defining discs and said exposing device disposed to set said opening control means at a given preselected position for the character-defining disc mounted on said film-exposing device, said cooperating means including a mEchanical linkage carried by said exposing device operably connected to said opening-control device, and including a movable member disposed to be contacted by said disc, said disc including surface means disposed to coact with said movable member to move said movable member a distance which is a function of the position of said surface means.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said surface means on character-defining discs are formed by surface areas surrounding slot means formed therein.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said movable member is mounted for axially slidable movement.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said movable member is mounted for axial slidable movement and has a stepped configuration which coacts with the surface means of said character-defining discs.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by biasing means normally biasing said linkage to one extreme position thereof and yieldably responsive to the coaction of said surface means on said character-defining discs.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by means disposed to releasably secure said character-defining discs in said exposing device.
 8. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by means disposed to releasably secure said character-defining discs on said exposing device, and said mechanical linkage including biasing means normally biasing said movable member against said surface means of said character-defining discs whereby when said means releasably receiving said character-defining discs in said exposing device are released the character-defining discs will be urged from the exposing device.
 9. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by means to releasably secure said character-defining discs in said exposing device including knob means on said exposing device disposed to extend through openings formed in the character-defining discs.
 10. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by means to releasably secure said character-defining discs in said exposing device including knobs pivotally mounted and spring biased to an extreme position and disposed to extend through openings formed in the character-defining discs to thereby lock said character defining discs in place.
 11. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by means to releasably secure said character-defining discs in said exposing device including knob means pivotally mounted and spring biased to an extreme position and having sloping side surfaces, said knob means being disposed to coact with slot means formed in said character-defining discs and configured to twist during insertion and return to a locking position at complete insertion of said discs.
 12. The invention as defined in claim 1 further characterized by selector means carried by said film-exposing device cooperative with said character-defining devices and operatively connected to the means to advance said strip of film to define one of at least two preselected incremental amounts.
 13. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by selector means responsive to said mechanical linkage and operably connected to said means to advance said strip to define one of at least two preselected incremental amounts of advancement of the film dependent upon the position of said linkage.
 14. The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by selector means including cam feeler means operable by a cam movable with said mechanical linkage and operably connected to said means to advance said strip to define one of at least two preselected incremental amounts of advancement of the film dependent upon the position of said linkage. 